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Jeff Curran
| birth_place = Crystal Lake, Illinois | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | residence = | nationality = | height = | weight = | weightclass = | reach = | style = Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | stance = | fightingoutof= Island Lake, Illinois | team = Team Curran | rank = 2d dan black belt in BJJ | yearsactive = | mmawins = 31 | mmakowins = 1 | mmasubwins = 19 | mmadecwins = | mmalosses = 12 | mmakolosses = | mmasublosses = | mmadeclosses = | mmadraws = 1 | mmancs = 0 | url = | sherdog = | footnotes = | updated = }} Jeffrey M. Curran (September 2, 1977) is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He currently fights as a bantamweight in the Strikeforce organization. Curran has also fought for several other notable fighting organizations including: Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), PRIDE Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC),International Fight League (IFL), and King of the Cage (KOTC). Curran previously fought as a featherweight until suffering back-to-back defeats to former WEC champions Urijah Faber and Mike Brown. Early life Curran started his path towards mixed martial arts with Karate and Tae Kwon Do as a child. He began wrestling in the 4th grade and did that until his freshman year when he began Jiu-Jitsu. Jeff also says that as a teen he would box with his grandfather. Jeff holds a rank of 2nd degree black belt under Professor Pedro Sauer. He is also known as one of the most technical instructors in the Pedro Sauer Jiu-Jitsu Association. Jeff credits Royce Gracie as being the fighter that made him want to start. Present day Jeff is president and head instructor of Curran Martial Arts Academy (CMA). He is also owner and promoter of X-treme Fighting Organization. Jeff appeared on the television series Tapout on Versus with fellow Team Curran pro Fighter Matt Fiordirosa. WEC career After fifteen victories in sixteen fights, Curran fought Urijah Faber for the WEC featherweight championship. Faber retained his title by defeating Curran via guillotine choke. Curran then lost a pair of unanimous decisions, first to former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown and then his bantamweight division debut to Joseph Benavidez at WEC 40. His most recent fight was against Takeya Mizugaki on August 9, 2009 WEC 42; he lost by a split decision. Move to Strikeforce After losing 4 consecutive fights in the WEC, it was announced on October 20, 2009 that Curran had signed a two fight contract with North American promotion Strikeforce. He maintains that his ultimate goal is to return to the WEC, but is glad to still be able to fight on major cards for the time being. He made his debut for the organization as a part of the preliminary card on their November 7th event,Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers, in Chicago.http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=9813&zoneid=2 Personal life Jeff and his wife Sarah have a son named Ty, who was born in March 2007.Ty Curran - Little Frog Born: March 19th, 2007 10:52pm The couple had their second son, Jacob, in December 2008. MMA record References External links *Official Website *Official Website of Curran Martial Arts Academy * *Xtreme Fighting Organization page ja:ジェフ・カラン Category:American mixed martial artists Category:American practitioners of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Category:Living people Category:1977 births